McCaskill, Blunt clash on experience

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- In their first televised gubernatorial debate, Democrat Claire McCaskill cast Republican Matt Blunt as too inexperienced for the job while Blunt countered by repeatedly touting his plan to overhaul Missouri's legal system.

Blunt, the secretary of state, and McCaskill, the state auditor, each were hoping the debate could give them the edge in the Nov. 2 election, in a race that public opinion polls show to be virtually even. The second and final televised debate is scheduled for Friday in Springfield.

McCaskill, 51, defeated Gov. Bob Holden in the Aug. 3 Democratic primary to take over the reins of her party. Blunt, 33, won his party's backing without any serious opposition.

While saying she was not emphasizing Blunt's age, McCaskill nonetheless made frequent references to the wealth of personal and professional experiences she's had since she was Blunt's age. She cited her passage of legislation, prosecution of criminals, oversight of state audits, management of a law firm, care of her sick father and time spent as a single mother.

"If I look back over the experiences I've had over almost the last 20 years, since I was 33, I've learned a lot," McCaskill said.

Blunt defended his own diverse experience -- work in the Navy, private sector, the legislature, and as secretary of state -- while seeking to illustrate his grasp of policy.

He offered an overhaul of the state's legal system -- namely limits on personal injury lawsuits -- as a solution for rising health-care costs and an impetus for the economy.

"We'll set public policy that benefits Missourians and not trial attorneys," Blunt said.

The two candidates also were questioned about education. Scores of Missouri's public schools have sued the state claiming its method of distributing money is inequitable and inadequate.

If elected, Blunt pledged he would begin the process of rewriting the state's school funding formula even before he would take office in January. McCaskill said her plan includes state financial incentives for school districts that cut administrative costs.

Noting his wife was pregnant with their first child, Blunt said a four-year public college education could cost his child $160,000 if the trend of rising tuition continues.

"We need to take drastic action," he said. "Perhaps we do need to allow the legislature to approve tuition increases that exceed the cost of inflation."

McCaskill said she wanted to double the amount of state financial aid available to college students to a total of $100 million annually. Then she congratulated the Blunts on the pregnancy and used it to again tout her own experience: "I was expecting my first child when I was 33 years old, so that we have in common," said McCaskill.